The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-05-22
A RELIC OF SLAVERY DAYS.
Official Register of the Negro Residents of
Marion County Before the War.

In of the attic rooms OF the court house
filed old record books that long years ago
went out of common They never
called up for reference, and the little room sell
dom has visitor. Among the hundreds of
huge volumes, with pages brown from age,
some that valuable, but great many of
them have become worthless. A Journal re-
porter glanced through some of them day or
two ago The first volume he drew from the
dirty shelf entitled Negro Register No. l.
Marion County" with the date 1853" on
the back. 1t is relic of the
days when it crime for
negro to come into the State of Indiana accord
ing to act Of the Legislature of 1852, the pur
pose of which enforce the thirteenth
article of the Constitution. The act made it
unlawful for any negro or mulatto ito come
into settle in or become resident of the State"
The clerks Of the counties Of the State
quired to give notice. by publication in the news
papers of their county having the largest circu-
lation, and if there newspaper published.
by printed handbls posted mp in three conspic-
uous places in each township. requiring all
negroes who were Inhabitants OF the State prior
to Nov. !, 1851, to appear before him for
registry. When this done they
were at liberty to remain in the State.
When the negro or mulatto came before the
x,
make a careful examination of him, note any
distinguishing marks there might be, and give
perfect description OF him. The clerk had the
power to summon witnesses, IL il became peces-
sary, to prove the right of naturalization of any
negro who might claim that he was resident OF
the State prior to Nov. /, 1851. When the right
of citizenship established. the clerk regis
tered the negro, and issued to him certificate,
under the seal Of the State, and attested by
notary, setting forth the facts contained in the
register.
The law nrovided also that any nArson en-
ploying a negro. mulatto, who had come into
the State subsequent to Nov. /. 1881. or who
shonld afterward come into the State or who
should encourage negro. or mulatto, to remain
in the State, should be fined not less than $40
nor more than 81. 000 Any negro coming into
the State in violation of the law could be fined
not less than $40 nor more than $780,
The first negro registered under the law in this
county was William Gammons. He was grant
ed a certificate of inhabItation on Aug. 13, 1853.
The certificate in full is as follows:
Be it remembered, That on this 18th day of August,
a. D. 1888. personally appeared before me. William
county of Marion aforesaid for the purpose of being
registered in pursuance of act entitled An act to
June II, 1852" William Gammons. muiatto. aged
thirty seven years; born in Halifax county. North
height five feet FIVE and a half inches light com.
plexon; black hair grey eyes. scar on right foot
the examination under oath of Thomas Long. that
said William Gammons resident of the State
prior to the LIST day of November. A d. 1851
WILLIAM STEWART, Clerk.
The law seems not to have been enforced very
rigidly. During the month of September only
two others were registered. They were David
Landers and VIM. Franklin. In October one
permit of inhabitation was grated, while there
in November. and in
December During 1854 four certificates were
issued and few more in 1855. The last issued
was Henry c. Mann, on July &C. 1864. Mr.
Wallace clerk then. The law annulled
by the proclamation of Abraham Lincoln, and
the successful termination of the war. During
the twelve years the law was in force
only twenty-five persons were registered.
There wore, however. more negroes than that
number the county aud those who have q
memory covering that period pl-:e the number
in the county At the beginning of thes war at
not loss than Atty. few years prior to and
during the the law was practically a dead
letter. This city became . regular station for
the transportation OF slaves to free soil, and
hundreds lodged in the city in secret who were
never required to register. IL runaway slave
could evade his master and remain here, he
was registered as having been a resident of the
STATE prior to Nov /. 1851 and ne could not then
be disturbed. A few of the last rsgistered, just
before and during the war, said to have
been runaway slaves. who provided with
certificate TO prevent their return TO slave
States.